5 Most Dangerous Contests

Morning radio shows are known for zany contests aimed at drawing attention and ratings. The crazier and funnier, the better. But in 2009, a Sacramento radio competition went terribly wrong when the organizers failed to recognize the danger of a seemingly harmless activity: drinking water.

The "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" event drew participants who wanted to win a Wii video game console. Each contestant had to drink an 8-ounce (226.8-gram) bottle of water within two minutes. Ten minutes later, they had to drink another. And, as the name implies, the players could not use the restroom.

What the disc jockeys failed to realize, or at least acknowledge, is that water intoxication can lead to an imbalance of electrolytes resulting in sickness and death. And that's exactly what happened. A 28-year-old mother of three withdrew from the game when her head began to hurt. She was later found dead. An autopsy revealed the cause to be water intoxication. Ten employees of the radio station, including the DJs, were fired [source: CBS/AP].